4 • FROMTHEEDITOR
PROUD SPONSORS OF THIS PAGE
Cause for alarm ?
»»
WITH FIRE DOOR SAFETY Week taking place at the end of September and National Home Security Month drawing a big red ring around the month of October , Autumn is a busy season for security specialists . As the editor of an industry magazine , this has made the Sep / Oct issue a simple one to put together with masses of content from across the sector discussing all the latest products available when it comes to the design and development of the hardware – and increasingly the software – that keeps us safe and secure in our homes and when we ’ re out and about . That doesn ’ t mean it ’ s been an ‘ easy read ’ as a consumer and homeowner , however , as statements such as fire doors being ‘ a significant area of neglect ’, ‘ fire door safety ignored ’, and ‘ very few security guarantees standing up to scrutiny ’, hardly inspiring confidence .
‘ a busy season for security specialists ’
But , as someone who could sit and worry at night that the sun isn ’ t going to come up the next morning , here ’ s why I ’ m not worried ... A year ago , I would ’ ve read the dramatic statements above and not only panicked about leaving the house , but have been scared to stay in too ! Now , when I read them in this magazine , I see it as part of a bigger picture . Very often in the media we see only the problems of our personal safety and the security of a property being addressed , but now I am also privileged to get an insight into everyone who is trying to solve these problems too .
And , when it comes to fire safety and home security , the lengths that I can see people are going to , to make our homes safer , our schools , offices , and hospitals safer , ( with all the different aspects that those different areas require , also all being identified and addressed accordingly ), I hope that other people outside the industry can also appreciate the effort that goes into the locksmith industry , at every level – from the designers ‘ at the drawing board ’, to those who fight for better accreditation and certification of products , from something as simple as a bike lock that protects your child ’ s bicycle while they ’ re in school from an opportunist thief to a smart home system that lets you check that the dog ’ s been walked while you ’ re away for the day , from the door access on the care home where a family member is staying , to the fire door closers at a university halls of residence , as a ‘ normal ’ person these are the things that make me feel safer every day .
Gemma , Editor
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
SECURITY GUARANTEES : “ VERY FEW STAND UP TO SCRUTINY ”
»»
WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT crime in the media , and it ’ s that awareness of crime that drives perceptions and magnifies our fear .
Homeowners feel vulnerable when they hear that some police forces have stopped investigating burglaries because they say they don ’ t have the time or budget to investigate them , and the chances of bringing someone to book are very low . Homeowners also puzzle over conflicting reports about crime . Depending on the source of statistics , the type of crime , how it ’ s recorded , and who is recording it , crime may be going down or going up .
A further problem is that homeowners think they are buying security with their doors and windows , and they expect the locks and hardware to withstand break-ins . They don ’ t want the uncertainty of degrees of protection either : they want to be protected , full stop . And they look for the peace of mind and reassurance that comes from secure products that are backed by a solid and effective manufacturer ’ s guarantee .
But once you start looking at guarantees from the homeowner ’ s perspective , few stand up to scrutiny . Many are vague or buried under pages of small print and slippery legalese , so it ’ s hard to see what is really guaranteed . Some are worded with what looks suspiciously like get-out conditions and clauses – so they ’ re hard to claim against . Very few inspire confidence . Very few give installers the backing they need to sell with confidence .
VBH took the view that if the products perform as promised , as we know they do , the cost of homeowners claiming against you will be small so why not give homeowners the real thing ? Why not give installers a strong and effective guarantee in plain English that ‘ does what it says on the tin ’; one that gives homeowners the reassurance they want and gives installers a powerful selling tool ?
That ’ s why we produced the Q-secure guarantee . This isn ’ t the place to list what it covers , but it ’ s a very different kind of guarantee that ’ s good for both homeowners and installers . We think if more in the industry followed our lead on clear , strong guarantees it would reassure homeowners and help to improve the reputation of the industry .
Yours sincerely Simon Monks Managing Director , VBH ( GB ) www . qsecure . co . uk
LOCKSMITHJOURNAL . CO . UK | SEP / OCT 2018